HOW TO WIN AT WHIST DRIVES.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 22, Issue 67, 29 August 1911, Page 2

HOW TO WIN AT WHIST DRIVES.

HELPFUL HINTS FOR CARD-

PLAYING NOVICES

■ ••ooably more points are lost through mismanaging trumps than fiom -mv other cause

j Ladies in particular, when strong in trumps, are reluctant to part with them, with the result that, instead ’of making ten or eleven tricks, they score only six or seven.

| When strong in trumps, you ’should lead them at the first opportunity. . What" constitutes strength in 'trumps ? Well, if you have five or more trumps, you are strong in ■them, and should always lead them 1 when you get the chance. It is safe too. to lead trumps when you have four,, provided at least two of them are court cards. Having led trumps, you should keep on leading them as long as you can, unless either of your opponents fails to follow suit, WHEN YOUR PARTNER LEADS TRUMPS. ■ An opponent being out of trumps, It; is stupid to continue with them, because by so doing you draw two of your own trumps—your own and your partner’s—to one of your adversaries'. On the other hand, if your partner fails in trumps, keep on -with them, for you will then be drawing two trumps from your opponents against your one. , When your partner has led trumps, lead them back to him the moment you get the chance, provided, as before, that neither of your opponents is out of trumps. Here it does not matter whether you are strong or weak in trumps. Probably you are weak, your part* ner having led from strength. The rule as regards leading trumps only when strong in them applies to original leads only. Failing strength in trumps, you should make your first lead from your longest suit. Where you have two long suits equal in number of cards, lead from the stronger of the two. For example, you have two hearts, four clubs, three diamonds, and two spades—trumps. Here your two long suits are hearts and clubs. In hearts you have ace, king, and two small ones; in clubs., knave, ten, and two little ones. You should lead from hearts. KING BEFORE A,OE. Which card to lead is important. In this case, you should lead the king, followed by the ace. Why uot the ace first? Well, there Is just the chance that one of your opponents may have no hearts. Suppose your left-hand*"opponent has no hearts, probably he will not trump the king, in the hope that his partner has the ace, and you thus make a trick you would certainly have lost had you Ted the ace.

If your light-hand opponent has no hearts, he will certainly trump the king ; but your partner will know that you have the ace—information which may bo of great value to him. .If you led thc ; ace to start with, and it was trumped, your partner would not know whether you had the king or not. Suppose, however, that, you have ace and three little ones in hearts, the proper lead is a small card. If your partner tons the king, he will win the trick, while you still have the winning card in the suit. If, on the other hand, you have seven hearts, hfeaded by the ace, you should lead the acc first round. When you have so many hearts, it is probable that, after the first round, one of your opponents will have none left, and' will trump. I have said that, if your partner leads trumps, and you take the trick, you should lead trumps back; but this rule’ does not apply to , plain suits.

; Diamonds bting trumps, your partner leads clubs, and you win the trick. You now know that clubs is his strong suit, and the next step is to let him know which is your best suit by leading from it. Therefore, you should not immediately return clubs, but load from your strong suit, whichever that may be. Much useful Information may bs conveved by the discard. The general rule is to discard from your weakest suit. Your partner, noticing your discard, will know you are weak—knowledge which may be of great use to him.

Sometimes vou may find yours?] f In this unpleasant position : You are v-ry strong in +rump3, >ut 3 ou cannot get the Ic~d , one of your opponents has no hearts, the other has no diamonds ; you and your partner have plenty of both. Opponent A leads a diamond, a nd his partner C wins tao trick by trumping ; then C leads a heart, and A trumps that trick, and leads a dismond for 0 to trump, and sp on. This is known us a "cross-ralf.” Now,, before the cross-ruff was established your partner had the lead, belt, being weak in trumps, he did aot lead them, because he did not snow of your strength. TIPPING THE WINK. 1 If ho had known, and led trumps, you would have drawn your opponents’ trumps, and they would not have been able to "ruff” hearts and diamonds. 1 "here is n perfectly fair way of toiling jour partner that you are strong in trumps, and want him to lead them. This is known os "calling for trumps,” and is done as fol-^

ICJ .1B . Your partner has the lead, and plays, say, king of diamonds, which wins, and he then plays the ace, which also wins. In diamonds you have ten, seven, two. In the ordinary way, you would play the two to his king, and the seven to his ace; but you want to tell him that you are strong in trumps, and, to do so, you play the. ten two to his acc. If he is watching your discard, as he should do, he will notice the high card played first, followed by a little one. and know that- you want him to lead trumps as soon as po*«ible.—"Answers.”